Windshield-cleaning apparatus



W. M. FOLBERTH.

WINDSHIELD CLEANING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED IAN.25, I9I9.

1,405,773. Patented Feb. 7, 1922.

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1 ,405,773 Patented Feb. 7, 1922.

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AfA/7 W/MFo/ber//I/ @Hmmm/1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM M. FOLBERTH, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE FOLBERTH AUTO SPECIALTY COMPANY, 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO, A. CORPORATION OF 01H0.

WINDSHIELD-CLEANING APPARATUS.

Application led January 25, 1919.

To all whom t may concern.

f' Be it known that I, WILLIAM M. FoL- nnn'rH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Windshield-Cleaning Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.`

y invention relates to apparatus adapted to clean the windshield of an automobile or the like.

An important object of the invention is to provide apparatus oi" the above-mentioned character, which is actuated by the substantially constant partial vacuum or suction within the intake pipe or manifold of an internal combustion en ine.

A further object o the invention is to provide apparatus of the above-mentioned character which is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and convenient in use.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a central vertical lo-ngitudinal sectional view showing the apparatus arranged on the windshield of an automobile,

gigure 2 is an end elevation of the saine,

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the apparatus diagrammatically illustrating the connection to the manifold of an internal oombustion engine.

The numeral 5 designates a windshield of an automobile of any well known or preieri-ed construction, the same including a frame 6, as is well known.

The numeral designates a tube, one end of which is rigidly attached to the. wind shield frame, as shown at 61. This end of the tube is closed, as shown. The opposite end of the tube 60 receives a plug 62 and has screw threaded engagement therewith. This plug is rigidly secured to the frame 6, as shown at 63.

The pistons 64 and 65 are mounted to reciprocate within the tube 60, forming therewith alined cylinder chambers 66 aud 67. The pistons are connected by an inner tube 68, preferably having screw threaded en- Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. '7, 1922. Serial No. 273,143.

gagement therewith. This inner tube carries a cleaner bar 69 rigidly secured thereto, operating through a slot 70. The cleaner bar is .provided with a cleaner member 71 of flexible material, such as leather or rubber, operating in contact with the glass or the like to be cleaned. The pistons 64 and have lon itudinal slots formed therein, receiving a ongitudinal rib or key 73, ri idly secured to the inner surface of the tu 60 whereby the pistons cannot rotate.

The plug 62 has a main longitudinal opening or bore 74, in communication with a port 75 leading into a pipe 76. This ipe has a cutoff valve 77 connected therein. I'The pipe 76 leads to a suction or intake ipe or manifold 17 of the internal combustion engine (see Figure 3). Extending longitudinally through the opening 74 is a vacuum braking tube 78, rigidly secured to a plug 79 screw threaded within the outer end of the plug 62, as shown. The tube 78 is provided with apertures 80, as shown. The tube 78 is provided at its left end with a valve seat 81, and at its opposite end with a* valve seat 83, as shown. A chamber 84 surrounds the valve seat 81. This chamber is connected to the right hand cylinder chamber 67 by a pipe 84.

A tubular valve 86 is mounted to reciprocate within the opening 74, and preferably has a central portion 87 slidably receiving the tube 78. The tubular valve 86 is provided at its left with an enlarged head 88, to contact with the valve seat 8l and to further contact with a valve seat 89 formed upon the end of the plug 62. A hollow head 90 is rigidly secured to the opposite end of the tubular valve 78 forming therewith a shoulder 91. The shoulder 91 is adapted to contact with a valve seat 92 formed u n the lug 62. It will be seen that the hollow head) 96 forms a chamber 85, surrounding the valve seat 83.

A shifting rod 94 extends longitudinally within the tube 68 and is rigidly secured to the hollow head 90. The hollow head is provided with apertures 95. The rod 94 carries nuts 96 or other contact element, to be engaged by the piston 64 when it approaches the end of its travel. The operation of my apparatus is as follows:

When the tubular valve 86 is in the position to the left, as shown in Figure 1 and the valve 77 is opened, the suction from the intake pipe or manifold 17 will be transmitted through the pipe 76, port 75 to bore 74, chamber 84, pipe 84 and to the right cylinder 67. The piston is therefore drawn to the right while the cylinder chamber 66 is in communication with the atmosphere through ports 95, chamber 85, ports 80 and tube 78. When the piston 64 contacts with the nut 96 the shoulder 91 will engage the valve seat 83, thereby closing communication between the chamber 85 and the atmosphere. The shoulder 91 also disengaging the valve seat 92, whereby the opening 74 is placed in communication with the chamber 66. The valve 88 now engages valve seat 89 and disen ages valve seat 81, whereby cylinder 67 is p aced in communication with the atmosphere, through pipe 84', chamber 84, port 8() and tube 78. The pistons now travel to the left until the piston 64 contacts with the head 90, which restores the tubular valve to the position shown in Figure 5. It is thus seen that the operation will be repeated and is automatic and so long as the valve 77 remains open, and suiicient vacuum is maintained in pipe 76, the successive reciprocations of the pistons will reciprocate the cleaner member 71 in contact with a portion of the surface of the windshield to clean it. It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described are to be taken as preferred examples of the same and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit of my invention, or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my, invention, what I claim is:

1. In windshield cleaning apparatus, cylinders arran ed in end to end relation, pistons mounte to reciprocate therein, a member connecting the pistons, a cleaner element operated by the member, a conduit adapted for connection with suction producing means, and means to alternately place the conduit in .communication with the cyliners.

2. In windshieldcleaning apparatus, cylinders arranged in end to end relation, pistons mounted to reciprocate therein, a member connecting the pistons, a cleaner element operably connected with the member, a conduit adapted for connection with suction producing means, and means operated by the movement of the pistons to alternately place the conduit in communication with the cylinders and the cylinders in communication with the atmosphere.

3. A windshield cleaning apparatus, comprising a tube, a pair of spaced pistons re- `ciprocable therein, a member connecting the pistons, means to cause the member to travel 1n either dlrection, a cleaner element operably connected with said member, and means for automatically reversing the direction of motion of said pistons when theyr have traveled a predetermined distance in either direction.

4. A windshield cleaner, comprising a tube, a piston arranged therein, a cleaner element operably connected with the piston, means connecting said tube with a source of suction, and valve mechanism arranged in said tube near said connecting means, said valve mechanism being adapted to alternately establish communication between said connecting means and opposite ends of said tube.

5. In windshield cleaning apparatus for a motor vehicle havin an internal combustion engine as its propel ing means, cylinders arranged in end to end relation, pistons mounted to reciprocate therein, a member connecting the pistons, a cleaner element operated by the member, an imperforate conduit connecting said cylinders to the intake manifold of the engine whereby all air delivered to said intake manifold through said conduit is drawn through said cylinders to effect the operation of said pistons, and means to alternately place the conduit in communication with the cylinders.

6. In windshield cleaning apparatus for a motor vehicle having an internal combustion engine as its propelling means, cylinders arranged in end to end relation, pistons mounted to reciprocate therein, a member connecting the pistons, a cleaner element operatively connected with said member, an impcrforate conduit connecting said cylinders to the intake manifold of the engine whereby air is drawn through said cylinders to operate said pistons and then delivered to the engine without interfering with the normal operation of the engine, and means operated by the movement of the pistons to alternately place the conduit in communication with the cylinders and the cylinders in communication with the atmosphere.

7. A windshield cleaner for a motor vehicle having an internal combustion engine as its propelling means, said cleaner comprising a tube, a piston arranged therein, a cleaner element operably connected with the piston, an imperforate conduit connecting said tube to the intake manifold of the engine whereby all air delivered to said intake manifold through said conduit is drawn through said tube to effect the operation of said piston, and valve mechanism arranged in said tube near said conduit, said valve mechanism being adapted to alternately establish communication between said conduit and opposite ends of said tube.

8. A windshield cleaner for a vehicle having an internal combustion engine as its propelling means, said cleaner comprising a motor casing disposed in proximity to the windshield to be cleaned and provided with a suction opening and an air inlet opening communicating with the atmosphere, a movable cleaner element actuating member operable by a difference in pressure upon opposite sides thereof in the said casing, a cleaner element having a portion thereof in Contact with the windshield actuated by the movement of said member to move` upon and clean a portion of the windshield, means controlled by the movement of said member for alternately connecting said casing on each side of the Said" member to the said Suction opening and said casing on the opposite side of said membel` to the air inlet opening, and an imperforate conduit establishing communication between the said suction openingr and the intake manifold of the said internal combustion engine whereby all air delivered to the said intake manifold through the said conduit is drawn through said motor casing to effect the operation of the said cleaner element actuating member.

. 9. A windshield cleaner for a vehicle havlng an internal combustion engine as its propelling means, said cleaner comprising a suction motor casing adapted to be arranged adjacent the windshield of the vehicle, said casing having a suction opening and an air inlet opening communicating with the atmosphere, a movable member arranged in said casing, automatic means actuated by the movement of the movable member for alternately placing cach end of said casing in communication with the suction opening and the opposite end in communication with the air inlet opening, a cleaner element operatively connected with said movable member, said cleaner element being adapted to contact with and traverse a portion of the surface of the windshield to be cleaned, and an imperforate conduit connecting said suction opening to the intake manifold of the engine wliereby air is drawn through said casing to operate said movable member and then delivered to the engine without interfering with the normal operation of the eneme.

h In testimony whereof I aix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

VILLIAM M. FOLBERTH.

Witnesses:

MAXWELL F. FOURNIER, M. C. ANDERSON.

DISCLAIMER.

1,405,773.-Wllam M. Folberth, Cleveland, Ohio. Wnmsmnm CLnANiNo Arrm'rus. Patent dated February 7, 1922. Disclaimer filed November 28, 1927 by the assignee by mesne assignments, Trice Products Corporation.

Hereby enters this disclaimer to that part of the claims in said specification which is in the followin words, to wit:

4. A windshie d cleaner, comprising a tube, a piston arranged therein, n cleaner element operably connected with the piston,ineais connecting said tube with a source of suction, and valve mechanism arranged in said tube near said connecting means, said valve mechanism being adapted to alternately establish communication between said conn means and opposite ends of said tube.

7. A win shield cleaner for a motor vehicle having an internal combustion engine as its propell'ir' means, said cleaner comprising a tube, a piston arranged therein, a cleaner element operably connected with the piston, an iinperfoi'ate conduit connecting said tube to' the intake manifold of the engine whereby all air delivered to said intake manifold through said conduit is drawn through said tube to eiiect the operation of said piston, and valve mechanism arranged in said tube near said conduit, said valve mechanism being adapted to alternately establish coinmunication between said conduit and o posite ends of said tube.

9. A. windshield cleaner for a vehic e having an internal combustion en'vine as its propelling means, said cleaner comprising a suction motor casing adapte to bc arranged adjacent the windshield of the vehicle, said casing having a suction opening and an air inlet opening communicating with the atmosphere, a movable member arranged in said casing, automatic means actuated by the movement of the niovable member for alternately placing each end of said casing in communication witli the suction opening and the opposite end in communication with the air inlet opening, a cleaner element operatively connected with said movable member, said cleaner element being adapted to contact with and traverse a portion of the surface of the windshield to be cleaned, and an imperforate conduit connecting said suction opening to the intake manifold of the engine whereby4 air is drawn thr0u h said casing to operate said movable member and then delivered to the engine wit out interferwith the normal operation of the engine. mOci'aI Gazette December 13, 1.927.] 

